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Savannah State University Athletics

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Photo by Sarah Peacock
24
Fort Valley St. FVU 7-2 , 4-2
28
Winner Savannah St. SSU 4-5 , 3-4
Fort Valley St. FVU
7-2 , 4-2
24
Final
28
Savannah St. SSU
4-5 , 3-4
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
FVU Fort Valley St. 0 7 10 7 24
SSU Savannah St. 0 7 0 21 28

Game Recap: Football |

Fourth Quarter Push Propels Tigers Past Fort Valley State

Macon, Ga. – In a final quarter showdown, Savannah State came away victors on Saturday beating the seven-win Fort Valley State 28-24 in the Central City Classic at Brad Henderson Stadium.

The Tigers put up 21 points in the final quarter, the most they've scored in a single quarter all season to improve to 4-5 overall and 3-4 in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) action.

Over the first three quarters, the Tigers managed a single touchdown as Fort Valley State moved out to a 17-7 lead. After Savannah State put up three touchdowns for the lead, the game came down to a dramatic final minute.  

Down by four points, Fort Valley took over with 1:01 on the clock in the fourth quarter and quickly pushed down field from their own 30 to the Savannah State 32.

The Wildcats had no choice but to go straight for the end zone with time ticking away. After a false start moved them back, Kelvin Durham, on 1st and 15, tossed a pass to the house, looking for Fraion Warren in the back of the end zone.

Warren brought down the ball and looked to be just inside the line as the back judge called a touchdown and Fort Valley began to celebrate. But the line judge, who was facing the receiver, quickly came over and called it an incomplete, citing the receiver didn't have full control of the ball before bouncing out of the end zone.

And with the call, Savannah State had a second chance.

On the next down, Durham tossed it up for Emmanuel Wilson, but Deon Bell broke it up and the Wildcats were now facing third down and 18 seconds on the clock. Durham then look for Kevin Epps, but the pass was short.

On fourth down, as time expired on the clock, Durham took one more shot at the end zone. It looked like Epps would bring it down, but he was swarmed by Savannah State corners. Pass interference was called.

Fort Valley State was given one more chance to win the game.

On a non-timed play, the Wildcats again went straight for the touchdown but Durham's pass to Wilson bounced incomplete and the entire Savannah State sideline took to the field to celebrate the win.
 
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Elwin Smith stops Emmanuel Wilson near the goal line, keeping Fort Valley from scoring on their first possession of the game. [Photo by Sarah Peacock]


Savannah State opened the fourth quarter down by 10 points, struggling to score against a stingy Fort Valley defense. But the Tigers switch up the scheme in a massive drive that spanned from the final two minutes of the third quarter through the first three minutes of the final quarter.

The drive saw the Tigers shifting between quarterbacks JT Hartage and Jadon Adams and mostly rushing with Shamarcus Poole moving the chains downfield.

Late in the drive, a costly face mask penalty put Savannah State on the Fort Valley 10-yard line. Hartage hit Da'Shun Mitchell on a short pass for an 8-yard gain and then Poole finished the touchdown drive with a 2-yard dash over the middle.

The score drive breathed new life into the Tigers. With 11:39 on the clock, they trailed 14-17.

Fort Valley began their next possession and were moving just fine until Marlon Jackson forced a fumble on a rush from Wilson. Jackson picked it up and ran 34-yards for the touchdown giving Savannah State a 21-17 lead and shifting the momentum.

Dismayed by the fumble, Wilson was poised on the next Fort Valley possession. At the end of the drive, Wilson rushed six consecutive times for 40-yards and a touchdown to push Fort Valley back out to a 24-21 lead.

Savannah State took over with 5:22 to play in the game and again looked to the quarterback combo of Hartage and Adams to get the score. Adams moved the chains on designed keepers for a fresh set of downs. Then Hartage came in and hit Poole for a 19-yard deep pass and then hit Mitchell for another 10-yard gain to the Fort Valley 7-yard line.

On third and goal, Adams came back in and rushed up the middle, stretching out for the touchdown to give Savannah State the 28-24 lead and the set the final score.

Adams rushed 11 times for 109 yards on the night—including the Tigers' only touchdown in the first half, a 60-yard dash down the side. Poole rushed 20 times, racking up 81 yards.  

The Savannah State offense had one of its best nights this season, putting up 372 yards of total offense against a Fort Valley defense that typically allows 325 yards of offense. The Tigers have been managing only 261 yards of offense a game this season.

Fort Valley put up 330 yards of offense in the game, most of it coming from their rushing attack (184) and the engine of that attack, Wilson—who led all rushing with 119 yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns.

Durham led the field in passing, completing 12-of-25 attempts from the pocket for a 146 yards and one touchdown.

Freshman Tavare Brewton again led Savannah State on defense with 10 tackles on the night, one for a loss. Bell had eight tackles and Uchenna Nwoha, D'Armani Ridley and Makenly Newbill each tacked on seven a piece.

Savannah State concludes the regular season on Nov. 5 when they host Lane College in Theodore A. Wright Stadium. Kick-off is set for 5 p.m.
 
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Nathaniel Chisholm celebrates with Jadon Adams following Adams 60-yard touchdown rush. [Photo by Sarah Peacock]

 
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